Author Archive

The Think-Tanks Bark and the IRGC Moves On

Thoughts On Southern Syria

Iran in Syria: “Cognitive Empathy” and Interests

“When the SDF was shocked”- Azaz Opposition Activist’s Analysis of Russian-Turkish Relations, Afrin, & Why US Will Dump Kurds for Turkey

Beit Jann: Myths and Reality

Reconciliations: The Case of al-Sanamayn in North Deraa

Katibat Dir’ al-Watan: New Sub-Unit of the Fifth Legion

Liwa al-Mukhtar al-Thiqfi: Syrian IRGC Militia

Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Civil Society in Jabal al-Summaq

Further Response to Roy Gutman: Balancing the Picture

A Response to Roy Gutman’s “Have the Syrian Kurds Committed War Crimes?”

Liwa Al-Jabal: A New Loyalist Militia Unity Initiative In Suwayda’

Quwat Dir’ Al-Qalamoun: Shifting Militia Links

Local Loyalist Militias of Suwayda’: Katibat Jalamid Urman (Dir’ al-Jabal)

The Fifth Legion: A New Auxiliary Force

The Situation in al-Fu’a and Kafariya

Usud Al-Cherubim: A Pro-Assad Christian Militia

Saraya al-Areen: An Alawite Militia in Latakia

Saraya Al-Tawheed: A Pro-Assad Druze Militia in Lebanon and Syria

Kata’ib Humat al-Diyar: A Prominent Loyalist Militia in Suwayda’

Labawat al-Jabal: A Druze Female Militia in Suwayda’ Province

Liwa al-Imam Zain al-Abidain: Building a ‘Resistance’ in Eastern Syria

Liwa Sayf al-Haq Assad Allah al-Ghalib: A Republican Guard Militia in Sayyida Zainab

Quwat Dir’ Al-Amn Al-Askari: A Latakia Military Intelligence Militia

Fawj Maghawir al-Badiya: A Military Intelligence Branch Militia

Syrian Hezbollah Militias of Nubl and Zahara’

Liwa Sayf al-Mahdi: A Syrian Army Shi’i Militia

Liwa al-Imam al-Mahdi: A Syrian Hezbollah Formation

Kata’ib al-Jabalawi: A Pro-Assad Militia from Homs

Quwat al-Ghadab: A Pro-Assad Christian Militia in Suqaylabiyah

The ‘Martyrs’ of Liwa al-Sayyida Ruqayya (The Ja’afari Force)

The Local Defence Forces: Regime Auxiliary Forces in Aleppo

The Leopards of Homs: A Pro-Assad Militia

Liwa al-Jalil: A New Pro-Assad Palestinian Militia

Harakat al-Hawiya al-Arabiya al-Druziya: Defending Druze Identity in Suwayda’

The Dir’ al-Watan Brand: Liwa Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi

Liwa Dir’ al-Watan: A New Pro-Assad Militia in Damascus

Liwa Usud al-Hussein: A New Pro-Assad Militia in Latakia

The Life of al-Khal: First Leader of Liwa Shuhada’ al-Yarmouk

The Syrian National Resistance: Liwa Khaybar

Quwat al-Jalil: A Pro-Assad Palestinian Syrian Militia

The Factions of North Latakia

Rijal al-Karama after Sheikh Abu Fahad Waheed al-Bal’ous’ Assassination

Liwa Shuhada’ al-Yarmouk: History and Analysis

Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa: History, Analysis & Interview

The Assassination of Sheikh Abu Fahad al-Bal’ous: Context and Analysis

Overview of some pro-Assad Militias

Liwa al-Sayyida Ruqayya: Recruiting the Shi’a of Damascus

The New Druze Militia Factions of Suwayda Province

Quwat al-Ridha: Syrian Hezbollah

The Coastal Shield Brigade: A New Pro-Assad Militia

The Massacre of Druze Villagers in Qalb Lawza, Idlib Province

Review of “ISIS: The State of Terror”

The Administration of the Local Council in Azaz

Book Review: ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror

Jabhat al-Nusra and the Druze of Idlib Province

Jamaat Ansar al-Islam in Syria Joins The Islamic State?

Sample Concepts of a Christian-Shi’a Alliance in Iraq

The Story of Shami Witness

The Islamic State (IS) and Pledges of Allegiance: The Case of Jamaat Ansar al-Islam

Jamaat Jund al-Qawqaz: A Caucasus Emirate Group in Latakia

The Factions of Kobani (Ayn al-Arab)

The Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra: A Looming Grand Jihadi Alliance?

Jabhat Ansar al-Din: Analysis and Interview

The White Shroud: A Syrian Resistance Movement to the Islamic State

Interview with Sayyid Hashim Muhammad Ali: Commander of the National Ideological Resistance in Syria

The National Ideological Resistance in Syria: A ‘Syrian Hezbollah’ Brand

Majlis Shura al-Mujahideen: Support for the Islamic State

The Dawn of Freedom Brigades: Analysis and Interview

Bay’ah to Baghdadi: Foreign Support for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the Islamic State (Part 2)

The Suwayda village of Dama and Druze Militias: A Case Study

Al-Qa’ida in Islamic Maghreb and Arabian Peninsula Statement on the U.S.-led coalition against IS

Muhajireen Battalions in Syria (Part IV)

The Factions of Raqqa Province

Minority Dynamics in Syria

Muhajireen Battalions in Syria (Part 3)

Abdullah ibn Zubayr Battalions of Deir az-Zor Reject Fighting ISIS

Muhajireen Battalions in Syria (Part Two)

The Desert Falcons: An Elite Pro-Assad Force

The Latakia Front: An Interview on the Rebel Side

The Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham’s dhimmi pact for the Christians of Raqqa province

Christian Militia and Political Dynamics in Syria

The Assad Regime and Jihadis: Collaborators and Allies?

EXCLUSIVE: Moroccan ex-Guantánamo Detainee Mohammed Mizouz Identified In Syria

Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi: More On The Druze Militias in Southern Syria

Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi: The Druze Militias of Southern Syria